The present invention relates to a carrier, and more particularly to an automated carrier.
The conventional automated carrier, e.g. an automated wheelchair, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a joystick 1 capable of causing speed and direction control signals to be sent to a motor controller 2 capable of respectively sending driving currents to left and right motors 3,4 respectively having two encoders 5,6 capable of sending speed feedback signals to controller 2. Such wheelchair undoubtedly bestows a great convenience on its user. Recently, some countries have developed a wheelchair which replaces the joystick with a phonetic controller so that a user having no or inoperative hands can control the wheelchair merely by means of phonetic voices. Nevertheless, such wheelchairs have the following disadvantages:
1) The conventional automated wheelchair can only be controlled by a joystick or a phonetic control system so that a user cannot select the desired controlling manner in a particular situation. PA1 2) Since a wheelchair with a phonetic control system is often used by a user having no or inoperative hands, such wheelchair should be designed so as to assure a greater safety for the user. Nevertheless, no such wheelchair is so designed up to now. PA1 3) A wheelchair user normally requires a good protecting measure so that the wheelchair has a smoothly reduced speed upon approaching an obstacle. No conventional wheelchair, however, has such a protecting measure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the above shortcomings.